Creating Change in Alaska with Laura Norton-Cruz

Laura Norton-Cruz, LMSW, is a social worker and public health professional, a former 3rd grade teacher and victim advocate, a visual artist, a single mother of two, and an advocate for children and families. She is based in Anchorage, Alaska, where she grew up, and has worked and traveled extensively throughout rural Alaska.<br/><br/>Laura’s career, activism, & art have focused largely on domestic and sexual violence (DV/SV), adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), maternal child health, and racial equity. Through funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Leaders, she recently worked with Joshua Albeza Branstetter to make a short documentary about the rural Alaska childcare crisis, hosting two screenings with policymakers. She believes in community-led policy advocacy & that all interventions & systems should be built *with* the people they are intended for. <br/><br/>She has an undergraduate degree in Critical Social Thought and Studio Art from Mount Holyoke College, and a Masters in Social Work degree with a focus on research, evaluation, and community organizing from the University of Michigan. She has been recognized as one of Alaska's "Top 40 Under 40" and received a legislative citation for her community work from the Alaska State Legislature. <br/><br/>Links: <br/><br/>“At Home/In Home: Rural Alaska Childcare in Crisis” film Laura wrote & produced, in partnership with Branstetter Film:<br/><br/>http://vimeo.com/814699053Livestream of “At Home/In Home” showing and panel discussion (airing live Sep 21 from 5:25 - 7:00 and archived thereafter) at: https://www.facebook.com/Laura....NortonCruz?mibextid= version of “Patient Safety Card Approach to DV/SV” training: <br/><br/>https://www.dropbox.com/s/vzcu....934vewzg4g4/Laura%20 “Patient Safety Card Approach to DV/SV” professional training: <br/><br/>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6rC25KXBHMBrief film promoting youth mentorship Laura wrote & produced, in partnership with Branstetter Film: <br/><br/>https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qfH9WcgDinARobert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Leaders profile: <br/><br/>https://cultureofhealth-leader....s.org/meettheleaders about Laura’s & others’ presentation to the US Senate Afterschool Caucus: <br/><br/>http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/afterschoolsnack/Afterschool-programs-and-a-trauma-informed-approach_09-23-2019.cfm<br/><br/>_______________________________________________________________<br/><br/>Check out your hosts -<br/><br/>Blaze Bell:<br/>https://www.blazebell.com/<br/>https://www.instagram.com/blazebellbliss/<br/><br/>Justin Williams:<br/>https://www.tiktok.com/@justineatsalaska<br/>www.instagram.com/justineatsalaska/